Cheese not nukes: the opening of the Dutch parliamentary season

September 20, 2013

20 September 2013

Prinsjesdag is a traditional Dutch day in which the King opens the new Dutch parliamentary session, arriving in a golden carriage together with the Queen, to deliver a speech to all members of the government, parliament and senate. Thousands of people dressed in orange clothes and traditional costumes come to see the arrival of the golden carriage. Before the installation of the new King all Dutch citizens were asked to write down their dream for our country. Today IKV Pax Christi (an ICAN partner in the Netherlands) shared their dream: cheese not nukes!!

Members of parliament and other VIPs, as well as a lot of ‘prinsjesdag’ visitors were asked to sign for a prohibition of nuclear weapons. The traditionally dressed Dutch man and woman delivering cubes of cheese and calling for a ban on nukes were met with a lot enthusiasm, and some laughter.

Krista van Velzen, nuclear campaigner at IKV Pax Christi said ‘Today the government decided to buy the Joint Strike Fighter, which will be used for the nuclear task – to fly around with nuclear weapons and drop them if someone thinks it’s needed. I hope parliament will decide not to back up this plan and thus to cancel the nuclear task for ever. Nuclear weapons are no dream, they are a nightmare that should be banned right now!’